Tragic Innocence
by Iggy - Essence of Angst
Summary: Maybe if they hadn't shunned her, things would have been different. Maybe if she had been treated as an equal... she wouldn't have been so hostile. They should have given her the chance, but then it was too late. discontinued
1. Chapter 1

"**ONE"**

**Blanket Disclaimer: **I own nothing, just the DOAU game.

_NOTE: This is a DOA AU story. Ayane definitely knew of Ayame in the original story line, but was taken care of by another guardian, a regular old man as seen in the game intro. _

_Also, an enormous Thank You goes to the reviewer who spotted the HUGE canon mistake in the original draft (therefore ruining the point for the rest of the story!). It's all fixed now!_

-x-

The sun shone down on the village. The sounds of men about their work filled the surrounding area. The distinct sound of clashing swords could be heard closer to the boundaries of the clan, where the younger adults were sparring some participating in more intense training.

But in the midst of all this, a small child by the name of Ayane was setting out to fulfil a request. It was a simple one: take the list, head to the supermarket and purchase what was on the list.

Unfortunately for Ayane, something like that would never be simple, because it involved doing something she tried to avoid as much as possible: stepping foot outdoors.

Especially by herself.

She knew that the moment she entered the main vicinity of the village, she would be vulnerable to the numerous taunts and jeers. Being only six years old, she was quite defenceless, unable to retort back even if she wanted to. It would accomplish nothing. Particularly when they ganged up on her in groups of four or five.

Sometimes she would get lucky, and a somewhat sympathetic villager would take reluctant pity on her and scold the boys. However, it didn't happen very often at all, and most times, Ayane would have to try and fend off the attacks. The result was normally that Ayane would usually end up on the ground, nursing her wounds.

After many attempts to do a simple thing such as purchasing grocery items, and having little success without being teased and injured, Ayane finally pleaded with Kasumi to do the errands.

"Sure," the older girl agreed with a smile. "You're my friend after all."

But then the day came when Ayame presented the list to her, and Kasumi was not around. Ayane felt panic overtake her thoughts, but agreed, with hesitance, to complete the task. After all, Ayame had been her caretaker for as long as she could remember, and this was one of the ways in which the young girl felt she could repay the kind woman.

Ayane tucked the list into her pocket and took a nervous breath, heading outside. Maybe she would get lucky today and they would not be outside. Maybe she would not have to endure the usual taunts. Maybe they would be preoccupied with something else and would not even notice her.

No such luck.

As soon as she came across the center of the main district – the supermarket was right across from her – the usual group of boys spotted her small form.

"Hey look, it's the bastard child!"

"The whore child."

"Half-breed!"

Just once, she wished they would get tired of teasing her and she could continue on her way in peace. Just once. But of course that would never happen, therefore she continued to make her way through. She kept her head low so as not to meet their gazes.

Unfortunately, they seemed to have other plans. One boy stepped right in her path.

"Going somewhere?" he demanded, readying himself into what Ayane could quickly classify as a fighting stance. The other boys crowded around her. There was no way for her to escape, that is, without going through some sort of pain.

"Excuse me," she said, trying to remain calm.

The boy grinned at her. "Oh, but we've missed seeing you outside," he said, making a threatening approach in her direction. "How long has it been, about a week or so?"

"I really need to get through," she insisted weakly, backing away. She hoped her tone was not coming out as frightened as it sounded to her. "So if you could just -"

In her attempt to try and get away from the threat, she had backed into the group behind her. She felt someone roughly push her forward, right into the oncoming path of a fist.

As usual, the 'fight' was over in a matter of seconds. Ayane lay facedown on the ground, blood dripping from her nose and several cuts among her limbs. She could hear the sound of the boys' laughter fading into the distance. Not one person came to help her up, but that fact didn't surprise her.

For as long as she could remember, she had always been the outcast. She slowly sat up to regain her surroundings, trying to stop the bleeding and looking rather pathetic. Her kimono was covered in dust, and a part of the shoulder was ripped. She knew Ayame wanted her to get the task done today, but she was aching too much to continue her trip. Wearily she picked herself up and headed back to the main building to nurse her wounds.

-x-

Ayane sat in her room. Well, it wasn't actually _her_ room, as Kasumi was generous enough to share it with her, but it was the only place where she could rest in solitude, away from the taunts and accusing stares of the villagers.

A bucket of lukewarm water rested beside her, and a slightly worn cloth was clutched in her fingers as she tried to wash away the blood. She would have asked Ayame for help, but then the woman would have told her husband Shiden about the incident, and the last thing Ayane wanted to do was ignite his already short temper with her.

She put the cloth into the water, allowing the material to soak through, then wrung it out. The cloth absorbed some of the blood, but it was quickly becoming stained.

_Uh-oh. There's no way Shiden won't notice this. Especially if he sees me like this…_

"I'm back!" Light footsteps accompanied the swift sound of a door closing, and a cheerful high-pitched voice broke through the calm atmosphere. The footsteps came closer, and the door to the room opened. A young girl no older than seven bounded in, her gentle brown eyes full of excitement, her brown hair bouncing up and down in its custom ponytail.

"How was your day? I went out to spar in the fields with Nii-san!" she chirped. Then her smile faded as she took in the sight of Ayane sitting down by the bucket, trying to treat her wounds. "Ayane-chan… what happened?"

"It's nothing," Ayane said quickly, fumbling for a statement that would momentarily distract Kasumi's attention.

Before she had the chance to think of one, however, Kasumi's gaze narrowed suspiciously as she observed Ayane's faltering expression. "Were they picking on you again?"

"No," she said, but her reply lacked confidence. The older girl frowned and Ayane hung her head. "I'm sorry."

Kasumi let out a sigh and sat down beside her. "Ayane-chan… here, I'll help you." She dipped the cloth back into a bucket of lukewarm water that was resting beside the girl, and after washing the rest of the cuts, gently bandaged the rest of Ayane's various cuts and scratches.

Several seconds of silence passed between them, then Kasumi spoke again, her voice quiet, quite uncharacteristic of the enthusiastic girl she normally was. "So they were teasing you again, weren't they?" It was more of a statement than a question and Ayane avoided her gaze, but Kasumi persisted. "Why don't you tell someone so they'll stop doing it?"

"I don't want to cause trouble," the smaller girl protested, still refusing to meet her friend's gaze.

"Cause trouble? Ayane-chan, they're being mean and they have no reason to be that way, especially to you!" Kasumi said indignantly.

"But if I tell -"

"They'll stop," Kasumi interrupted. "They might be acting like jerks, but they have to listen to the Elders. They can't show disrespect if they're ordered to do something."

"But the Elders won't believe me."

Silence once again filled the room as the realisation of that statement sunk in. This time it was Ayane's turn to look up, only to find that Kasumi had put the cloth back in the water and shifted her gaze. Kasumi felt deep pity for her friend. She didn't come right out and say it, of course, due to the fact that it would result in embarrassment and awkwardness, but she didn't have to; Ayane could tell. The younger girl didn't know much, if any, detail about the circumstances regarding her birth. The statement "bastard child" spoke volumes in itself, as it placed a discriminating label upon her and drove an insult into her heart at the same time.

Ayane did not fully understand the term "half-breed" either.

From the way that they taunted her, she knew it was definitely meant to hurt her – and it did… but the tone of their voice struck her more harshly than their words. She wanted so badly to make friends. She was even willing to forgive endless bouts of teasing, just to see a friendly face instead of the leers and smirks that greeted her the moment she decided to step outside the house. But even at her young age, she somehow knew it would never happen that way.

Kasumi was the only one willing to be her friend, and that was most likely because the brown-haired girl was the daughter of Ayame. However, she was still grateful for the offered friendship, especially since she felt rather lonely at times, and she valued it most dearly. The two had quickly become close friends, and after a few months, Ayane even began to consider Kasumi as her big sister.

"I'll go put this away." Kasumi's voice broke into her thoughts, and the older girl took the cloth and bucket and stood up to leave. Ayane simply nodded and stared back down at her hands. The sounds of light footsteps against the carpet faded away for a moment and Ayane stood up as well, taking a moment to examine herself in the mirror.

Bright crimson eyes stared back at her, accompanied by soft purple hair. Her face was a contemplative mixture of sadness, regret, and the slightest hint of loneliness. Even though she was only six years old, already she was having to deal with prejudicial matters. Only she had no idea why.

A rip on her kimono caught her attention, and she bit her lip. It wasn't a big rip, but its location happened to be on her right shoulder, and it would catch Shiden's attention. And once again, she would have no choice but to take the blame for something that was not her fault. Maybe she could sew it up.

Just then Kasumi entered the room again. "Are your injuries feeling better?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah. Thank you." Ayane did not seem to be happy, though, and Kasumi asked her what was wrong. Ayane glanced at her, then back at the tear in the material by her shoulder, a worried expression on her face. "It's just that… if your daddy sees this…"

"Oh… you mean…" Kasumi's voice trailed off as she, too, noticed the rip. Ayane saw a flash of uncertainty in her eyes. Kasumi must have realized how unsettled she was at Ayane's unfinished statement, because she quickly covered up her unease with a smile. "Well, I can try and help… but… I haven't been taught to sew or anything like that. I can try, though," she offered.

Ayane shook her head. "No, I think I should do it. Maybe if I try and fix the material… he won't be angry at me."

Kasumi could only manage a nod. She knew, as well as Ayane, that Shiden loved to blame the younger girl on everything that happened. If Ayane was injured, he would say that it must have been her fault. Even if she was not actually at fault (and she rarely was), he believed that she was the cause of everything, and that her blood would taint the name of the clan.

A few hours later, after many attempts to try and sew up the kimono, Shiden had heard what had happened earlier. He entered the room where she sat, the kimono lying on her lap and a needle on the floor where she had thrown it in frustration. Not a word was exchanged between the two, but when his gaze shifted from the piece of clothing in her lap to her flushed face, she felt like he had just scolded her in the worst way possible – by simply standing there and glaring at her. He didn't say anything – he didn't have to. She could sense how angry he was just by the accusing gaze in his eyes, and her face heated up even further with embarrassment and helplessness for her predicament.

Seconds after he left, she burst into silent tears, burying her face in the clothing.

-x-

Seeing as Ayane had been prevented from going into the market last time, and Kasumi had been practising some sparring techniques with her brother in the fields, the girls decided to head off the next day and acquire the items on the list.

"Maybe if I'm with you they won't bother you," she said, sounding optimistic and attempting a smile. Ayane could only offer a weak one in return and pray that she was right.

Then again, Kasumi was Shiden's daughter, and he was the leader of the Mugen-Tenshin clan. Maybe she _would_ be right – they were more likely to show respect to her and ignore Ayane than to tease the purple-haired girl and risk getting scolded in the process.

As it was, that statement was only half-accurate.

They never dared tease Kasumi; they had no reason to, and besides, they knew the clan leaders would disapprove of such an action. Especially with her being next in line to claim the position as the Mugin Tenshin leader when she grew up.

But Ayane was free bait for their taunts, and unfortunately for her, they were well aware of that fact.

"Hey, it's Ayane!" a particularly mean child shouted. "And look, she's finally found a _friend_!"

The others faked gasps of astonishment.

"Oh wait," he continued, the sarcasm evident in his tone. "That's just because Kasumi's mom takes pity on her. She's got no one else to play with."

Ayane glanced at the girl beside her. Kasumi was frowning, something she did rather often when she was getting irritated. "Will you leave her alone?" she hissed in Ayane's defence. "What did she ever do to you?"

"She's just a half-breed," another mocked. The usual group that harassed Ayane knew better than to encircle them. After all, Kasumi was with her, but that didn't mean they had to step aside and let them pass. In fact, they formed a sort of barrier between the two girls and their intending location.

"She's my friend! Why do you have to pick on her?" Kasumi persisted. Ayane was huddling close to her, a sign that she was feeling rather intimidated. Considering the circumstances, she had good reason to be.

"She's a _half_-breed," one of the boys behind them repeated, placing emphasis on the word _half_. "It's not like we're making things up, Kasumi-chan. She's not like the rest of us. I don't know why you bother with her, because no one else will."

Ayane lowered her gaze to the ground. Obnoxious as he was, the boy had a point: she _was_ a half-breed.

An angry flush appeared on Kasumi's benign expression and she grasped Ayane's arm, pulling her through the crowd. The boys had no choice but to move; it was either that or be collided by a frustrated Kasumi.The sounds of the boys' teasing disappeared into the distance once they were inside. Ayane tugged her arm out of Kasumi's grasp.

"They're right, you know," she said, sounding slightly mournful. She still hadn't lifted her gaze from the ground.

Kasumi, who had grabbed an empty bag and was putting fruit into it, paused and looked at her. "What do you mean?" she asked in a puzzled way. She didn't like it how her friend had to endure such cruel taunts on a daily basis, but once they were inside and away from the teasing, she figured there was no need to dwell on it. "They're just trying to upset you, Ayane-chan."

"But what he said was true. I _am_ a half-breed." Self-loathing filled her tone, and she practically spat out the words. True, she did not quite fully understand the meaning of the term "half-breed", but she knew it was meant to be an insult of some sort, and she was starting to become extremely frustrated about the entire thing.

Kasumi, sensing her friend's inner turmoil, set the plastic bag down and moved over to her, putting her hands on the younger girl's shoulders. "Ayane-chan, it doesn't matter what they say. They want to make you feel bad, but -"

"I heard your mommy and daddy talking about me late at night. They're always arguing about I was just some sort of mistake, that I'm not really their responsibility. They keep saying I don't have the same blood. I am a half-breed, Kasumi."

"You're _not_ a half-breed," Kasumi insisted. "You're my friend, and that's what counts."

Kasumi accepted her, and as she said, that _was_ what counted, but Ayane could not keep her thoughts about the boys' comments from lingering within her mind. However, she could tell the older girl was growing impatient at her lack of focus for the task at hand, and she shoved her doubts to the back of her mind, at least for now.

It didn't take them long to gather the items that Kasumi's mother had requested, and soon they were back on their way home, their hands full of shopping bags. The boys glared accusingly across the district but said nothing this time. Ayane kept her gaze averted and she and Kasumi presented the groceries to Ayame. The woman thanked the both of them with a smile, and Ayane retreated to the bedroom.

The children had no right to tease her constantly. She knew that much. But was there some sort of truth to their words? She had never been told who her father was, and she didn't even know who her mother was. The only thing she knew was that Ayame had taken care of her ever since she was a baby, but even then any affection had been toned down for fear of Shiden's temper.

Maybe it was her fault.

Maybe she really was a half-breed.

And yet, he still placed the blame on her whenever she didn't do anything. She _knew_ she couldn't have been as bad as he said she was. True, she did not have their blood. But why did that have to make such a difference in the way she was treated?

All she wanted was an answer.

-

-

_To be continued..._


	2. TWO

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

"**TWO"**

"Time to eat!" Their father's voice rang throughout the building. Kasumi dropped the doll she had been playing with and hurried to the dinner table. Hayate was already there, setting down dishes of delicious food and helping to serve dishes.

Ayame sat down, smiling at her children. Shiden entered the room, carrying a roast.

"Ah, good. We're all here," he stated, setting it down. Just then Ayane came in, looking timid.

"Can I come in?" she asked quietly.

Shiden glared briefly at her, but said nothing. Ayame patted the chair next to her. "You can come and sit here, Ayane."

The purple-haired girl looked nervously at him, then slid into the offered place. Kasumi sent her a tiny smile although she said nothing for fear of raising an 'issue' that Shiden refused to acknowledge, and Hayate merely glanced at her before continuing to eat.

Dinner was, for the most part, a silent meal. While Shiden brought up a conversation of the day's events with his other children, Ayane ate her food and kept her thoughts to herself. She was well aware of Shiden's scrutinizing gaze when Kasumi mentioned how the children were still harassing her friend, and it made her feel slightly uncomfortable. Several times she wanted to know why he kept staring at her, but couldn't quite muster up the courage to look at him, let alone question him.

Ayame handed her children more food, asking them if they were still hungry. Ayane was famished, but when Ayame offered a bit more to her, Shiden finally spoke.

"That is not necessary, Ayame," he said, taking the dish from his wife. She looked at him, frowning.

"Why? I gave some more to Kasumi and Hayate. I thought Ayane might still be hungry," she said.

Shiden just shook his head. "She's had enough. You don't need to spoil her."

Ayame looked at him, her expression a mixture of disapproval and concern, but didn't bother to continue the verbal disagreement any longer.

Ayane remained quiet, staring down at her hands while the others finished. Finally, the plates were cleared, and Shiden rose from his seat. "Ayane, you help Hayate clean up, understand?" he ordered. The girl gave a brief nod, but didn't dare meet his gaze.

"Father, I can help," Kasumi quickly volunteered. He shook his head.

"No. Ayane is perfectly capable of cleaning up. If she is to live under my roof, she has to work for it," he said firmly, in a tone that stated the finality of a lost argument. Ayame stood up as well and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Shiden, she may be living under this roof, but there's no need to treat her so harshly," she pleaded. Ayane glanced up at him in time to see his expression flicker, then hastily averted her gaze. Finally he spoke, keeping a restraint on his anger.

"I treat her no differently than I would any other child, Ayame," he responded. "Once again, if you insist that she lives beneath this roof, then she must abide by the rules."

"I can still help," Kasumi's voice protested weakly. Shiden stared at her for a moment, and she shrank under his gaze. Perhaps she hadn't needed to speak out like that after all…

"No, that will not be necessary. You'll be starting more intense training tomorrow, and you need to be able to focus. You'll need your rest. Hayate, would you be kind enough to give Ayane a hand in clearing the table?"

The eldest of the three children nodded and rose from his seat as well, stacking plates and collecting bowls. Shiden excused himself, saying he had some other things to do, and that he wanted to talk with Ayame alone later that night. The woman cast a furtive glance at Ayane, sighing as she noted how sullen the girl looked as she silently began to load plates into the sink.

She would have to somehow cease Shiden's temper when it came to that girl.

-x-

A few hours passed, and Kasumi was told to get her sleep so she would be prepared for tomorrow. Hayate disappeared into his room, doing some other things that Ayane did not care about. The purple-haired girl waited until the coast was clear, then quietly crept out of her room. She knew that at this time of night, Ayame and Shiden would once again be arguing about her… what a burden she was, how she had 'tainted' blood… and it was always a chance for her to perhaps figure out what had caused her birth, why all the villagers despised her as if she were just some contaminated piece of filth. Slowly she tiptoed to the end of the hall, taking caution to stay flat against the wall so she would not get caught sneaking after bedtime. After a few seconds, she came within earshot of Ayame and Shiden's voices, and at the sound of Shiden's loud accusative voice, she cringed with fear.

"Why do you always have to contradict me?" he demanded. Ayane knelt down against the wall and listened.

It was obvious that Ayame was struggling to hold back tears. "She is just a child, Shiden!"

"That may be so, but she is certainly not _my_ child, and I will not tolerate this!"

"Tolerate? Shiden, you know what happened. I -"

"I am fully aware of it, and that only justifies what I have been saying for years! She has bad blood! Why can't you see that?"

"But she is not a bad child…" Ayame's voice broke. Her defence was weakening.

"She is not _my _child! I do not want to take responsibility for her!" he shouted. "You got yourself into this mess… why do I have to bear the burden as well?"

It would continue on like this for several minutes, Ayame trying futilely to defend the child and Shiden accusing her of taking such a burden into the household. Eventually Ayane would become tired, and with her mind full of troubling thoughts as to what revolved around her birth, she would head back to her room and fall into an uneasy sleep.

-x-

Nights often ended up like that. On occasion, later in the evening when Shiden was not around, she would quietly approach Ayame who was cleaning in the kitchen, and whisper that she was still hungry.

"I'm sorry," she pleaded rather hastily, looking as though Ayame might suddenly go into a rage and hit her for asking such a thing. "I'm still hungry. I'll try not to eat too much. I just want something to eat, because my tummy is rumbling a lot."

Ayame smiled at her and reheated some leftovers from the meal, well aware that Shiden would not approve of her actions. But Ayane was only seven years old – it wasn't like she'd done anything wrong, and a child needed food to grow. Despite her husband's harsh reprimands whenever it came to giving Ayane something – whether it be food, toys or even clothes after the little girl had worn her current outfit out too much – she still wanted Ayane to have _some_thing. After all, she still cared for the little girl, even if she made less of an attempt to show it if Shiden was there.

"Mmmm, this is good," Ayane commented as she ate, giving Ayame a faint smile. But it soon faded, and she asked that which had been nagging at her thoughts lately. "Ayame… why doesn't Kasumi's daddy like me? Am I a bad kid?"

"No, no. It's just…" The soft-spoken woman searched for an appropriate response that the seven-year-old could adequately understand. "… he has a lot on his mind right now, and sometimes he takes it out on people who don't always mean to get him angry. He just tends to be in one of his moods a lot when you're around."

Ayane frowned in confusion. "He's always angry at me, even when I _know_ I didn't do anything wrong." She sounded so helpless when she said that.

Ayame glanced at the young girl, her expression furrowed in concern, although the young girl did not notice as she was still busy eating. "Don't worry about him always being like that, okay? Just concentrate on other stuff. You're not a bad kid, Ayane, and I hope in time he will realize that."

-x-

A few days later, Ayane headed out to the forest. It was the one place she could always go for solitude, away from all the taunts and jeering. She didn't encounter as much harassment as she normally did, but nevertheless she kept her head down so as not to attract "attention" from the villagers.

She found a nice resting spot where she could overlook the villagers and observe their activities. Kasumi and Hayate were practising their sparring. Ayane frowned; no one ever bothered to teach her anything. It was not like she expected them to do so, and she probably would not have been any good at it, but still; an offer would have been nice. She wanted to learn how to fight just like the rest of the young children in the Tenjin-Mon clan. She wanted to prove she was not the bad child they all thought she was, with the exception of Kasumi and Ayame.

She also knew it was hopeless to even try, since many people disregarded her as incapable of mastering anything because of her blood. They thought it a waste of time to try and show her basic sparring techniques, but even if she did have potential she would never find out. She knew they would not bother with her.

Hayate was not mean to her, not like the other people, but he was constantly with Kasumi and rarely bothered to glance her way. It did not take her long to assume that if Kasumi was not around, Hayate could easily forget Ayane even existed. As it was, she had a feeling he was only respectful towards her because of his younger sister. It was too bad; she would have liked to be friends with him.

Ayane sighed and observed her own hands. Why was she so horrible? What did she do? Was it really just because she did not have the same father as Kasumi and Hayate? When being introduced by Ayame, or reluctantly by Shiden to other village or the Elders, it was always emphasised that she was only under their care until she was old enough to head out on her own. He made it clear that he had not originally encouraged the idea of raising such a "bastard child", but that it had been Ayame's generosity that eventually overtook the argument.

"_Thank god she isn't directly related to us. It's bad enough having to tolerate her presence under _my _roof, but I fear that Kasumi will become even more attached to her than she already is, and I don't want my daughter becoming contaminated by _that_ child._"

Oftentimes Shiden would not take any measures to lower his voice whenever he said that in the company of others. He always made sure to say it when she was not in his presence, but she could easily hear the accusatory tone of his voice through the walls, and she would bow her head in shame, although not quite understanding _why_ he hated her so much. After all, even if she did have 'bad blood', Kasumi was always willing to accept her as a friend, so she couldn't be that bad, right?

Then again, Ayane had been told almost nothing about her 'real' father. She'd heard suspicious hints about her birth late at night when she was barely a child, but nothing with enough substance to confirm anything. So her father wasn't Shiden – but why did everyone else in the clan have to make such a big deal about it? It made no sense to her.

And then there was Kasumi. Everyone always treated her like she was an angel of some sort. She received all the smiles, all the encouragement, and everyone loved to be around her. Although at times Ayane couldn't help but feel slightly envious of all this attention, she was glad Kasumi considered her a good friend. She was the only one who seemed to enjoy Ayane's presence.

She wanted to badly to play like a normal kid, to be accepted like Kasumi, but even at the tender age of seven she knew things would never be what she yearned for.

She wasn't different. Not really.

_But my daddy isn't Kasumi's daddy. That seems to make all the difference._

Ayane had been tempted a few times to ask Ayame who her real father was, but whenever mention of her real father came up, Shiden would become enraged, and Ayane would regret having spoken at all.

Ayane wasn't even sure who her real mother was. Ayame had treated her as a daughter ever since she could remember, but somehow the girl sensed there were more secrets than what was being told. On occasion, during a particularly close moment between the older woman and the purple-haired girl, she would call Ayame 'Mother', but only as a term of respect than emotional ties. Ayame may not have been her 'real' mother, but ever since Ayane was just a small toddler she could remember Ayame taking care of her, watching over her, and eventually she began to realize that Ayame did care about her. Perhaps not love her as much as she did Kasumi, or even like her presence as much, but she did feel a bit more secure whenever she and Ayame were able to spend time together. Nevertheless, it was an unspoken agreement between the two of them.

Absentmindedly she picked up a flower and twirled it. She had the feeling that she should be returning soon. But it was nice out here, away from all the taunting and harmful remarks. For once, she had solitude.

Kasumi was almost a year older than her, and yet she was already being taught how to spar effectively. She quickly surpassed others her age, and many villagers were saying she had much potential. She was likely to become a valuable asset to their village, trained in the ways of the Tenjin-Mon, and many people constantly encouraged her or praised the amount of skill she had strengthened. For such a young age, her skills were quite remarkable.

Of course, Ayane had been taught nothing. Kasumi seemed to be ahead of her in everything, but that didn't bother her so much as the fact that she just wanted to be acknowledged. Everyone was always saying how much potential Kasumi had, how quickly she learned even with little instruction, but Ayane was always neglected and discouraged to do anything of the sort. Many times she thought it unfair but didn't dare speak up.

She wasn't stupid. She might have been just as capable as Kasumi if only she had been given the chance, but no one wanted to care or even notice. She was always left out.

Always.

-

-

_To be continued…_


	3. THREE

"**THREE"**

"_Ayane, please forgive me."_

One sentence, one horrifying truth was revealed to her only a short time before she turned nine.

Ayame was her real mother.

Perhaps after all the years of taking care of Ayane, guilt from the knowledge of how the girl was conceived could no longer be contained. The words fell from Ayame's lips, softly spoken and punctuated with sobs, almost incomprehensible.

The girl had went completely silent, staring down at the floor. The silence seemed to stretch on, with Ayame's gentle sobs coming through the curtain, and Ayane still kneeling in shock on the wooden floor.

"I'm so sorry," the woman said. But her apology fell on deaf ears. After all this time, when Ayame had withheld the truth from her, Ayane was not about to forgive her. She would _not_ forgive Ayame for all the neglect and cruelty throughout the years.

Eventually, Ayame also revealed that her real father was Raidou. Ayane's chest felt constricted as the information was absorbed into her brain. She had never met him, but she had heard many things about him, how he was willing to murder others for his own gain without any seeming remorse.

_Raidou is my biological father._

The thought repulsed her, but at the same time, it explained so many things. Why she had been neglected by most of the village, why Shiden refused to bother with her. But Ayane now understood why things had been so lonely, so confusing for her when she was just a toddler.

_I was not conceived in love. I was a mistake. That's all I am_, _and all I will ever be. _

She would always be perceived as having "bad blood" because of her birth.

_I am her daughter, but she did not intend to give birth to me. _

"Please… forgive me."

_I am… a bastard child._

-x-

But as she knelt there on the hard wooden floor, her mind struggling to deal with the shock, a realization hit her:

Kasumi was the daughter of Ayame.

That would mean… Kasumi was actually her half-sister. Kasumi was actually _related _to her. Yet Kasumi had always been treated like a princess, someone special and to be pampered.

Kasumi had everything.

_I am her half-sister. But she has always received the attention, the love, the care._

_I have nothing._

Ayane stood up, still absorbing the facts. Her world, although sad and lonely, had just been ripped away from her. If she had felt insecure before now, it did not compare to the loneliness, the dim hatred that simmered just below the surface upon finding out the truth.

_Why? Why me? Why now?!_

Mother and daughter locked gazes. Although a curtain separated them, Ayane could clearly see the pain in her mother's eyes. It did not make her feel any more sympathetic. If anything, she now loathed her caretaker, and everything else she had ever known.

Ayane resented Kasumi. From that day on, she threw nearly eight years of friendship away. She wanted Kasumi to feel the same pain, the loneliness which had always overshadowed her life.

-x-

"Hey, Ayane-chan, want to come to a festival this afternoon with me?"

It was a nice day outside, perfect for some sparring practice. But Ayane was not thinking about getting someone to give her a chance at sparring. Ayane was sitting in the bedroom as usual, trying to sew up the shoulder part of the kimono with little success. Kasumi's voice had startled her concentration.

"What?"

"Want to?"

Ayane didn't bother to look up at her, although the sounds of footsteps came closer to her.

"It sure needs work," Kasumi commented, her brow furrowing as she examined the material. Ayane felt annoyance building within her.

"I don't need your criticism," she said flatly. "It's hard enough as it is."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that," Kasumi said in apology. Then she brightened. "I'm going for a sparring session just after lunch. Then I was planning to go to a festival later this afternoon. I mean, before Brother gets back from his training, because he promised he'd take me out to the more exciting ones later. But I was wondering if you wanted to come with me this afternoon."

Ayane still did not glance up at her. Kasumi waited a few more seconds before trying again.

"Ayane-chan?"

"What?" she asked, sounding more irritated. Her gaze never left the stitching pattern she was working on.

"Want to come to the festival this afternoon with me?"

"I'm busy." Her shoulders stiffened slightly as she spoke; her fingers pausing in the middle of a stitch, although she still did not look up.

"Come on, Ayane-chan! It'll be really fun! After all, it's been -"

"I _said_ I was busy." She resumed the pattern.

"Ayane-chan, I only…" Silence filled the room as Ayane slowly raised her gaze to meet with Kasumi's. The older girl hesitated, unconsciously taking a step back. A slight frown creased her forehead at the younger girl's slightly hostile tone, although it was clear by her puzzled expression that she did not understand Ayane's sudden change in demeanour towards her. "I just wanted to know if… if maybe you wanted…"

"Well, I don't." The abrupt tone caused her to swallow any more words she had been about to say. Silence fell between them. Ayane resumed her stitching pattern.

Kasumi opened her mouth to say something, but then hesitated. Something was obviously bothering Ayane… whatever it was, she somehow knew that Ayane was not about to tell her. But what had caused the sudden change in her friend?

"Is something wrong?" she finally mustered the courage to ask. Ayane did not reply. "Ayane-chan, are you mad at me? If I did something to -"

"I just want to be left alone," Ayane snapped.

Kasumi slowly backed away, glancing uncertainly at Ayane every few seconds, waiting to see if Ayane would elaborate as to why her behaviour was so strange.

The younger girl did not glance back at her even once.

-x-

Later that evening Ayane was sitting in her room, doing nothing in particular when the sound of the front door opening filled the house. She knew Kasumi and Hayate had attended a few festivals during the evening. Ayane could barely contain her jealousy - Kasumi got to improve _her _sparring techniques while Ayane was forced to spend the day doing other boring errands. Ayane resented the fact that she was never offered a chance to try and spar. Kasumi had offered her a chance to see the festivals earlier, but Ayane only saw it as poorly disguised pity. Of course Kasumi would ask her; who else would bother to spend time with _her?_ Ayane would prefer staying at 'home', aware from the taunts and jeering that someone as _special _and _perfect _like Kasumi would _ever_ want to be around the 'bastard child'.

So when Kasumi stood in the doorway, Ayane didn't even want to acknowledge her presence. The other girl's gentle brown eyes were shining with happiness, and she couldn't wait to tell Ayane about how wonderful the festival was. But the huge smile she had been wearing faded from her face the second she saw Ayane.

"Is it alright if I come in?" she asked cautiously, meeting Ayane's gaze for just a split second before averting her own to the floor. Of course, to Ayane it seemed like her request was more of an announcement of her arrival as Kasumi was already stepping into the room.

Ayane was sitting on her bed, back up against the wall, fooling around with a doll Kasumi had received for her birthday. She had a bored expression on her face, but something flickered when Kasumi approached the bed.

"Can I talk to you for a minute, Ayane-chan?"

The younger girl returned her attention back to the wooden doll. "You're talking to me now, aren't you."

The smile on Kasumi's expression faltered at the lack of a polite response, indicating the older girl's uneasiness, but she approached the bed and sat down, taking care to keep a careful distance between them and a radiant smile spread across her face. "Brother and I went to some festivals earlier. They were so pretty and fun to watch."

The younger girl did not look at her, nor did she bother to acknowledge that the brown-haired girl was speaking to her.

"We played a few games. Brother bought me a new fan… it had such a pretty design on it! Ah, Ayane-chan, you should've come!"

A long pause came between them, and then Ayane spoke. "I would have, although it was clear my company was not wanted," she said stiffly.

Kasumi either did not sense the building storm within the purple-haired girl or she was choosing to ignore it. "What do you mean? Of course you could have come along, that is if you wanted to! Brother wouldn't mind! All you had to do was ask. You rarely play with us anymore, Ayane-chan."

"All I had to do was ask, hm?" Ayane said quietly. "If you wanted me to come so badly, you would have offered."

"Ayane-chan?"

The purple-haired girl glanced at her, then resumed fiddling with the doll, barely able to keep a hint of sulkiness from edging its way into what would seem like a casual tone of voice. "I would just get in the way."

"No, you wouldn't! Honest, Ayane-chan. You're so serious nowadays. I'm sure Brother wouldn't have minded."

Her grip tightened on the doll and she was careful to avoid Kasumi's gaze. "And I'm sure he had better things to do than worry about some pitiful little child if his precious _sister_ was there." She made sure to put a deliberate emphasis on the word _sister_, mocking it.

Kasumi looked more closely at her. "Ayane… is there something wrong?"

Ayane tossed the doll onto the carpet, staring carelessly at the wall across from them. "Why do you care?"

"You're my friend, that's why."

"I don't have any friends. You're my…" Ayane's voice caught as she spoke, and for the first time, she realized the implications of her statement. It wasn't the first time she'd said Kasumi was her sister, but back then they had been so little, barely understanding the meaning of the word. Now she knew the truth in that statement, the importance of blood ties.

"I'm your friend," Kasumi finished.

"No." The word was out before she could stop it. There was no going back now.

"What do you mean?"

"You're not my friend. You're my half-sister."

"Half-sister?" Kasumi repeated, looking momentarily confused. Then her expression brightened. "Silly Ayane-chan! Of course I'm not your _half_-sister! You've always been my sister, no matter what!"

_She doesn't know what I'm talking about. She doesn't know the truth, that I have her blood. Half-blood. _

"No, I'm not talking about that," Ayane said coolly. Her older sister's features furrowed.

"What?"

"It's nothing you would understand."

The brown-haired girl stared at her. "Ayane? What's wrong?"

"I _said_ you wouldn't understand. Just leave."

"But… Ayane…"

"I said leave."

Kasumi slowly slid off the bed, making her way to the door. "Ayane-chan… I'm sorry if I did anything to upset you lately. I didn't mean to," she said, concern written all over her face.

Her half-sister left, quietly closing the door behind her. Ayane said nothing.

_What's the point in being with you anymore? You were always praised, always loved. _

_I was only a mistake. _

-x-

Kasumi made numerous attempts to reconcile their friendship, but Ayane didn't seem to notice. Eventually, during one such afternoon, Ayane was called in to talk to Hayate. Surprise registered in her eyes; Hayate had never specifically asked to talk to her.

That is, until she learned the reason why he wanted to talk to her alone.

She entered the main room. He was already there in a formal pose, sitting up straight on a chair and watching her closely as she entered. "Sit." He gestured to a chair that he had placed opposite side of his own.

Ayane did not appreciate being told what to do, especially by someone who was not even leader of the clan. She remained standing, crossing her arms over her chest.

He frowned but refrained from commenting. "I wanted to talk to you about my sister."

She fought the urge to roll her eyes and leave the room right then and there. So the little princess had decided to run off and whine to _her_ big brother. "Yeah? What about her?"

Hayate looked intently at her. "She's told me about the way you've been acting lately… that you seem to be angry about something she did, and you won't tell her why."

Silence fell across the room. Ayane simply stood there, refusing to speak.

"So… what's going on?" he finally asked. "Kasumi -"

_Kasumi._ Ayane felt her muscles tense at the name. Why was it always about _her?_ Why was someone always so willing o listen to _her_ and treat _her_ like a spoiled brat, as if Ayane didn't even exist? _Why was she so damned perfect?_

"It's none of your business," she finally responded, effectively cutting across him.

When Hayate spoke, his tone sounded quite calm, although she could hear the carefully contained irritation beneath the surface.

"It is if this is about my sister."

"So what if it is? Does she always have to go running to you, or can she not defend herself?"

Hayate sighed. "Look, I don't want to argue with you. If you have a problem with Kasumi, you can take it out on me. All she wants is to be your friend."

"I don't need friends."

"I didn't tell you you had to have any. Just treat my sister with more respect, all right? She hasn't done anything to you."

_They all take her for granted, just because her birth happened to be the beginning of her existence as the next leader of the Mugen-Tenshin clan._

_She'll always be better than me. To her, I'm nothing but someone to pity._

He wouldn't understand, nor would he want to even try. Just like the rest of them. She fought back the retort that wanted to erupt from her mouth like venom. Ayane glared briefly at him, then turned to leave.

"Hey, all I'm asking is for you to be a bit nicer to her, or at least tell her why you're angry with her. For whatever reason."

She forced a sarcastic grin onto her face and glanced back at him, bowing slightly. Then she returned to the room she was 'forced' to share with her half-sister.

_For whatever reason, eh? If it weren't for her…_

… _maybe I would have had a chance._

-

_To be continued…_


	4. FOUR

_Note: Sorry for the lengthy chapter. I spent months revising this, removing and adding in scenes. I tried to cut back on the dialogue, but still keep enough to convey the atmosphere of a scene. Part of the length is due to a scene that lasted longer than I thought it would, and I briefly thought about removing half the chapter to the next one, but then decided that a certain scene really belonged in this chapter instead. This chapter was extremely difficult to edit because of all the changes, but still keeping with the [assumed timeline based on Itagaki's cut-scenes._

_Hope you guys still enjoy it, and Merry Christmas._

"**FOUR"**

"Want to go sparring with us, Ayane?"

"No."

"Come on. It'll be really fun. You haven't been out in a while."

"Are you deaf? I said I didn't want to."

"Kasumi." Shiden's voice cut between the two girls, and as he entered the room, the atmosphere seemed to shift from an uncomfortable silence to awkward intimidation. Ayane unconsciously withdrew back. "I don't want you bothering her. She's got chores to do, and she needs to do them before stepping out of the house. Besides, Hayate's getting ready to leave now."

The older girl immediately leaped up. "Okay!" Then she calmed herself enough to ask, "But what about Ayane? Can she join us later?"

Shiden's gaze passed over Ayane, giving her the impression that he was scrutinizing her like always. The younger girl kept her gaze lowered at the wooden doll she was fidgeting with. The tension in the room was almost palpable.

"I doubt she'll have time," he said carelessly. "She's got enough to do. You go on ahead with your brother, Kasumi. It's important that you keep improving your sparring tactics."

"Oh. Well… sorry, Ayane." Kasumi glanced between her father and half-sibling, clearly torn between defending her half-sister but not wanting to upset her father either. "Maybe… maybe next time you can come with us." She hesitated for a moment longer, perhaps on the verge of saying something else, but after a meaningful look from her father, she bowed and left the room.

Shiden moved closer to Ayane. "You heard what I said. Don't waste your time with stuff like this." In one fluid motion he reached out and snatched the doll from her fingers. "This isn't yours, is it."

The girl kept her gaze down, her lack of response confirming his suspicions.

"It's not enough we kept you in this house and provided food for you, is it? It's not enough we had to put up with the gossip in the area that _I _had to raise a bastard's child. You can't even keep your hands to yourself. This is Kasumi's. Why do you have it?"

Ayane stiffened, unwilling to face him. After several seconds of silence, she finally answered, her voice flat. "She gave it to me."

"Sure she did." The sneer in his voice was unmistakable. "You probably stole it while she was out with Hayate. You should be helping Ayame out. Besides, if it weren't for her, you wouldn't even allowed to step inside this house. You should be grateful."

"I _am_ grateful," Ayane finally said, although her voice trembled slightly. "I help her out all the time."

He knelt down, keeping his voice very soft. "Not from what I see. You're always in this bedroom playing with things. Hayate's even told me you've been rude to my daughter at times. You keep this up and you'll end up out in the wild."

Ayane said nothing. Shiden seemed to think he had won the argument; he stood back up and turned to leave. But not before managing to insult her.

"The only reason you're here is because of Ayame. The elders always warned me you'd be nothing but trouble if I took you in, especially since you're that bastard's child. You'd always just be a waste of time and space anyway. Don't know why I bothered to let her convince me about raising you."

The words cut into her, but she was determined not to show it. She kept her downwards until she heard the door closed. Then she stood up and went over to the mirror, glaring at her reflection.

_I'm nothing but a waste. Just a bastard's child._

-x-

"Hey, look! It's Ayane!"

"Ha! She still hasn't got any friends. What a loser."

"The only one who'd ever want to play with her is Kasumi-san, and that's just because she has to live with her."

The usual insults and taunts assaulted Ayane's ears as soon as she entered the vicinity.

Ayame had specifically requested for Ayane to get some fruit for a pie she would be making in celebration of Kasumi's latest improvements at sparring… but she'd have to pass by the other children to get to the fruit vendor.

A group of boys not much older than her were standing in the middle of the area, pointing at her and grinning, making sure their voices were loud enough to be heard by everybody. Ayane quickly glanced at the side, where some of the elder clan members were standing, collecting goods from a vendor. Didn't they see?

As her gaze passed over them, one of them seemed to notice her presence at last, and gave a half-hearted attempt to stop the teasing. However, the boys were too busy jeering to pay attention. The clan member shrugged, gave an apologetic look in Ayane's general direction, then turned back to the vendor, presumably acting as though the teasing was not happening. A dull anger settled inside her stomach, and she forced herself to look away. Why couldn't they all just leave her alone for once?

"Hey, Ayane. Come over here," one of the eldest boys suddenly called out, as if she were a puppet at a freak show. "We want to show you something."

"Ayane!" another boy shouted, turning to whisper something to a boy beside them, which made them both burst into laughter. "Are you deaf? We said we wanted to talk to you."

She finally looked directly at them, her voice cold. "Get out of my way."

"She's not worth the time," mocked another.

_Ignore it ignore it ignore it._

"Look. She won't even look at us. "

"Are you dumb _and_ deaf?" One of them had trotted up to her and given her a little shove. She stumbled and averted her gaze. "She _is_ dumb. Won't even defend herself. Aw, this isn't fun."

_Just words only words._

"_Ayane-the-freak_…. Aren't you going to say anything?" the eldest boy said in a sing-song voice.

_I've had enough!_

"Leave me alone," she hissed. "You're all just jerks!"

With that said, she seized the opportunity to shove past them and run into the market, breathing hard. Various customers stared at her and a flush crept up her neck as she forced herself to avoid their gazes and collect the fruit. Her hands shook as she pulled out the coins to pay for the groceries, and she left the vendor as quickly as she could.

The boys still looked slightly surprised, due to her outburst just minutes ago, she supposed. The stares seemed to follow her all the way back to the house, but for once, not a single taunt was heard.

_-x- _

Tonight was special.

Not for Ayane. Oh, no…. not Ayane. Never her.

It was for the golden-haired, brown-eyed, spoiled little brat sitting across from her.

Ayane thought she may as well be invisible.

"Congratulations… to the newest fighter in the family and her amazing accomplishments!" Shiden announced, raising his glass to her. Hayate raised his glass and Ayame followed suit. Ayane just sat there with her fists clenched in her lap, not daring to meet anyone's gaze. Especially that of the girl sitting across from her.

Shiden cleared his throat. "Ayane? Why aren't you raising your glass? Kasumi has achieved a wonderful achievement. You should recognize her accomplishment. She sets a good example."

_A good example for who? Not like _you'd_ ever let me learn how to spar._

Silence fell around the room. Ayane peered up. Although Kasumi appeared to be smiling and accepting the toast with ease, her expression seemed to falter as she took in Ayane's envious expression.

Finally, she reached out and took her glass, reluctantly raising it to meet Kasumi's. It was so much more tempting to throw the glass across the room, or better yet, at the "_I'm so perfect and everyone loves me_" girl sitting directly across from her.

_-x-_

Friendly times for Ayane became distant memories, and she was desperate in her loneliness. Her only defence was to strike back, and in turn separate herself from the very few she had once been able to trust, if only to a certain degree. Things would never go back to what they once were.

She was now nine years old, but no longer able to trust anyone, even Kasumi. Especially Kasumi. That girl had stopped given up on the notion of trying to be her friend about months ago, at least for the time being, and was simply polite to her younger half-sibling whenever she had the chance. Ayane was slowly becoming self-destructive, always withdrawing into her shell and keeping everyone else at a distance.

The problem with this is that no one ever tried to penetrate that shell.

Until Genra came.

-x-

She had first been approached by him when he discovered her lying face down in a forest. The rain pounded the forest floor, but the rhythmic noise somehow seemed to soothe her senses. Blood stained her outfit, mixing with the pouring rain. She had cried earlier, although silently, unable to suppress the aching wounds all over her body, and although she knew she should get up and head back to tend to her injuries, she just couldn't.

Somewhere along the way, she had stopped caring. After all, if no one else gave a damn about her, why should she bother to go back? Besides, she knew in her current condition she wouldn't be able to walk anyway. She would rather lie there and listening to the sound of steady rain pattering the ground than go back and have Shiden criticize her again. She was just so tired of him that sometimes she even found herself thinking that being tossed into the wild to survive would be better than living under _his_ roof.

Of course, she would never dare tell him that. It would only give him the excuse to brag to the neighbouring villages about how he'd finally managed to drive the "bastard's child" away. She would never give him the satisfaction of being able to do that.

Never.

The light sound of footsteps upon the soaked ground caught her attention, although she didn't shift her head to face the intruder. She hoped it wasn't Kasumi (although she doubted Kasumi would be out in this weather) or Ayame. And she hoped to whatever gods that actually bothered to watch over her that it was not, of all people, Shiden.

She was in no mood to deal with any accusations, justified or not.

"My goodness, child, what has happened to you?" she distinctly heard a deeper voice say. At first she tried to ignore the stranger's voice, burying her face back into the ground. He would see the pain in her eyes if she allowed him to see her face; he would take her back to _them_, and once again, she would be severely chastised for running off into the woods only to "cause trouble". Punished would be more like it, but Kasumi's father was always quick to blame her, and therefore no punishment was too harsh.

"Go away," she mumbled. It hurt to move, and at this point, she didn't care what he thought of her. She had no strength to defend herself. She just wanted to succumb into darkness, into oblivion where she could rest and not worry about being discriminated, about being hated by the rest of the world.

Gentle hands lifted her up from the ground. She was in too much of a pain-filled daze to bother focusing on the owner's face, and after a few half-hearted attempts to shove away, she went almost limp, breathing hard and trying to ignore the dull ache in her body. Despite her effort to hide her injury, she could not help but let out a small whimper.

"Your condition doesn't look good to me," the voice observed softly. "I think I need to do something about that."

"Go away," she repeated, although her response lacked any real threat. The warmth emanating from the stranger's body was quickly becoming a comfort, and despite the fact that her natural instincts were telling her he'd be having a good laugh at her state when she could open her eyes and sit up without feeling as though her body had been through hell, she felt herself curling closer into his chest, desperate for warmth. "Whoever the hell are you, I don't need your help."

He was not fazed by her attitude. "It seems to me that you do."

After being taken care of, Ayane had fallen asleep. She woke up in an unfamiliar setting. Her first suspicion was that she was being lured into some sort of trap. Why, she didn't know, but it was not like anyone (with the exception of Kasumi and Ayame) had ever tried to befriend her. The warm fireplace and the soft blankets did not settle her suspicions. She sat up as the sound of the footsteps drew closer and the door opened.

A man entered the room. A faint smile overtook his worried expression as he approached her. "You're awake. Good, good. How do you feel?"

She eyed him distrustfully. "Where am I? Who are you?"

"This is my home." He strode further into the room and sat down beside her. Instinctively she shifted away, not wanting any sort of contact. "I am the leader of the Hajin-Mon sect, branch of the Mugin-Tenshin. Forgive me," he continued, bowing his head slightly towards her. "My name is Genra. What is yours?"

She looked down at her hands, where they fidgeted with the hem of a blanket. "I don't see why you care," she said bluntly. "And I don't see any reason to give it to you."

"Child, I am a little concerned as to how you ended up by yourself in that condition in the middle of the forest," he explained. "If you would please explain that, then I will ask no further questions until your condition improves."

Her shoulders tensed. She could sense his gaze lingering on her, expecting some sort of reply, but she could not look up to meet his gaze. After a pause, in which she felt some of tension draining from her tired body, she finally responded with, "It's nothing. The two boys down in the village snuck up on me. It's not a big deal. Happens often whenever I stay by myself."

He shook his head, perhaps in disbelief. "Unnecessary behaviour. Who did this to you?"

"I told you, it's not a big deal." She hadn't meant to sound so sharp, especially when he was taking care to keep his own voice gentle and polite, but his insistent prompting was beginning to irritate her.

He frowned. "Child, what is your name?"

She looked away, her voice raw with the pain, and her fists clenched on the blanket. "No one else cares about who I am. Why should you?"

"Because I am concerned with how you ended up like that." She glanced quickly at him, a flash of surprise entering her eyes. "No one should be treated like that, and all behaviours should be closely monitored. How is it that you…" The rest of the question went unspoken. She did not know if _he_ knew what the rest of the clan thought of her, but she was _not_ about to tell him herself.

"It doesn't matter. I've always been treated like that -" She broke off, fear coming into her eyes at the realization of what she had just admitted out loud. It wasn't much, but it was probably enough to give him the impression that there was more beneath the surface than what it seemed. She did not want pity. Not even sympathy, as it had been used when she was a very young child just to lure her into more trouble when it really hadn't been her fault in the first place. She looked away again, biting her lip.

"Always, hm?" He let silence come between them. The light patter of rain against a wooden roof could still be heard. After a considerable amount of time passed, he spoke again, more to himself than her, it seemed. "Would I be correct in presuming that you're the child they've been talking about recently…?"

"Did they tell you what a horrible child I am, too?" she suddenly found herself shouting at him, her gaze whipping around to glare into his. There was a fiery anger in her deep crimson eyes as she dared him to answer. "Did they tell you how pathetic I am? Did they tell you what I _really_ am?"

He looked startled at her outburst, apparently not expecting to have heard what she said. They stared at each other for a long moment, then she hung her head and looked away again.

Silence inside the small room seemed to stretch.

"It's alright," he said calmly, putting a hand on her shoulder. She whirled around, eyes wide with surprise at the gesture. "Just tell me your name. That's all I want to know."

A long silence passed between them as her gaze locked with his. His hand remained on her shoulder, making her feel uneasy. She hesitated, her mind full of doubt.

"But if I - what if -"

"I promise you," he began, speaking very softly and slowly to make sure she caught his words, "that I will listen to whatever you have to say."

She stared at him in confusion. He closed his eyes for a moment, apparently thinking hard, then opened them, meeting her gaze with his own.

"Please don't worry about anything else right now," he said. "Just tell me your name. I promise I will be there to listen."

She opened her mouth, unsure of what to say at first. But then she remembered how easily trust had seemed to come for her when she was just a child, how easily it was betrayed by those she thought she could consider friends, and the old mask started to slide back into place as she deliberately avoided his gaze. "I have nothing to say that would interest you."

Her tone was without malice, without anger, but she could tell that he understood her unspoken message: _You're no different from the others. Why should I bother to trust you? _

He removed his hand, kneeling down and shifting closer to the mat, barely touching the side of her face so she would have no choice but to look back at him. His words were firm but still gentle as he locked gazes. Her eyes were full of reluctance. "I will not leave you, child. Anything you tell me will remain in strict confidence."

It was the first time she had ever been shown kindness outside of the immediate clan. She hesitated for the briefest of seconds, wondering if he spoke the truth. Maybe it was all just a trap, to make her go back to her caretakers. But even if it was, she would have no choice in the end but to obey… and he was an adult. That meant he would be less likely to do such a thing. After all, he had not given her any reason to distrust him yet.

But then again, neither had any others who had tried to 'gain' her trust, taking full advantage of her naivety, making it seem like it was always her fault others teased her.

She scowled and ducked her head, mumbling something indistinct. Genra waited patiently, to see if she would say anything further, but when it seemed as if she wasn't going to, he rose and left the room.

However, just as he exited the room, still within earshot, he barely managed to hear the softly spoken words.

"Ayane. My name is Ayane."

-x-

She entered the building, her hair slightly windswept and sweat covering her brow. Small streaks of dirt covered her ninja outfit. Genra was already there; he was seated at a table, a bunch of papers in front of him, and a writing implement in his hand. He was writing something on a piece of parchment but ceased the movement and looked up upon seeing Ayane arrive.

"Welcome back," he said, giving her a faint smile before returning his focus to the papers still in front of him.

She approached him, kneeling down and giving a brief bow as a sign of respect. "I apologise, I went out earlier to -"

"That's fine. It's been months since you started," he informed her, his gaze narrowed in concentration as he resumed writing. "You know you are not under obligation to inform me of where you are training unless you seek my assistance, although at this point you should not need my supervision for the basics of sparring."

She knelt, keeping her gaze fixed on him, although he did not glance back up at her. "I saw… Kasumi." She made sure to keep her voice vacant of any emotion that would betray her feelings regarding her half-sister.

This caught his attention, and his tone sounded only mildly curious. "Did you speak to her?"

"No. She spoke first."

"And?" he prompted, after a moment of silence.

"Hayate and… Shiden -" she practically spat the word out " – know I've been in your watch for some time." She could recall quite clearly the day he had informed them all of his decision to become her legal guardian, as well as her teacher.

-x-

_She sat next to him, kneeling in the formal way. The rest of the main clan were gathered there expectantly, including Hayate and Kasumi. Ayane's gaze casually drifted over to Hayate, watching him. He was exchanging smiles with his sister, who seemed to be slightly apprehensive. If Genra had thought it necessary for all the Elder clan members to hear, including the main family of the clan, then that must mean it was significant._

"_Welcome to all," he began. "Today I have something I wish to inform you. It has been about a week since Ayane has been in my care. I hereby request that Ayane immediately be moved to the Hajin-Mon village to help the Hajin-Mon clan from the shadows and that she assist me in my duties."_

_A rush of gratitude filled her heart as she glanced at him. Finally she would not be underneath the roof of one who hated her blood. She would no longer be teased on a daily basis because of her birth. Kasumi would not have to act so generous towards her, just because she had no friends. Ayame would no longer have to defend what little there was of her daughter's honour at the present moment to her husband._

_The low sound of murmuring filled the room, and at last Shiden himself stood up. _

"_Surely you do not need to take such measures for that child?" he inquired as politely as he could. Genra's gaze met his. "Is it not just more trouble for you?"_

"_Certainly not," he replied calmly, and Shiden faltered. "She has potential to become a great ninja, and at this age, it is essential for her to learn as much as possible so that she does not fall behind her peers. I will gladly take on the task, for it is my job to see that the children succeed in the branch of the Hajin-Mon as much as possible."_

_Ayane looked up at him, appreciation filling her eyes. She wanted so much to thank him for his kind words, but knew now was not the time for that. _

_Shiden gave Ayane the briefest of glares, which did not go unnoticed. _

"_Shiden," Genra continued in the same calm manner. "I understand your concern for the girl… if she does not meet expectations. However, I am the leader of the Hajin-Mon branch, and if she is in my care, I guarantee her potential will strengthen her skills to become a ninja."_

_The man nodded curtly, before sitting back down. "I…approve," he said at last, although his words still sounded reluctant._

_Ayane smiled up at Genra. "Thank you," she whispered. He did not appear to hear her, but nevertheless he returned her smile with a faint one of his own._

-x-

Her thoughts returned to the current moment, and she remembered the brisk conversation which had taken place earlier when they had seen her for the first time in the past few months since her training began. Bitterness filled her voice and she shifted her gaze to the floor. "They are glad… I no longer spend so much time with the clan."

Recognising an inner turmoil mixed of hate, regret and anguish, he set down his writing implement, got off the chair and knelt down across from her. She was still staring intently at the floor, seemingly afraid to look at him.

"Ayane, there is no reason for you to be so angry. I have taken it upon myself to be your guardian -" At this, he could have sworn he saw her shoulders tense, but he continued nevertheless. " – and what has been done is done. You do not have any reason to worry about them. I want you to concentrate on your training for now."

The girl said nothing.

"Please look at me." It was not a request, but a gentle command, and slowly her gaze lifted from the carpet to meet with his. Her crimson eyes were still filled with pain and anger.

"Genra-sama," she began quietly, her tone sounding just the slightest bit desperate. "You must understand, I have all the reason to worry about my position. They have never accepted me as part of the clan, and after all this time, they will certainly not welcome me back into the _Mugen-Tenshin_ clan, especially when Shiden himself hates my blood… and his son, my half-brother Hayate, is just as eager to seek punishment on their behalf." She took a deep breath. "Hayate is also next in line to become leader of the clan. I won't be… I did not plan on…"

"Ayane -"

"What will happen if you lose legal rights to me? What will happen if you cannot remain as my guardian? None will want me there. I will have nothing left to go back to."

He decided to try something, to see if she had already blocked out a connection, however minimal it was, to those whom she had been living with for so many years. "There are still people who care about you, Ayane. What about Kasumi? She is your sister, is she not?"

"_Half_-sister." Ayane seemed to find the floor rather interesting once again, the slightest hint of loathing underlying her tone.

"She accepted your friendship. Why do you continue to resent her?" he inquired softly.

Her fists clenched and her entire body seemed to tense up. Over the past few months he had noticed it occurring more and more, although she had not previously mentioned it and he purposefully avoided asking her about it. This time, however, she continued, more from the need to release her pent-up anger than to actually seek reassurance. "She's… she's always been better than me."

She seemed to realize just how childish the words sounded as soon as she'd spoken them. She gave him an uneasy look, then averted her gaze again.

"Why?"

"She's always been better than me… at everything."

"What is she better at, Ayane-chan?"

"She… she's good at sparring. She has many friends. Everyone likes her. No one wants to be around me. Everyone thinks she's better. Everyone thinks she's just so special. Somebody who's perfect. No one likes me because of her."

"So she's good at sparring and she has a lot of friends. Why do you think that makes her better than you, Ayane-chan?"

She went silent, concentrating on the floor.

"Ayane?"

"Because… because she _is_. No one bothered to care about me."

"She does."

"Because she's been forced to live with me! She probably pities me because she knows I have no other friends!" The words burst out of her before she could stop them. "I _hate_ that!"

"Ayane."

She jumped to her feet, and went to a nearby window, unable to meet his gaze. Her body was trembling just slightly as she gripped the windowsill, staring outside at the forest but not really seeing it. An uncomfortable silence filled the room.

"She pities me. That's all there is. That's the only reason she bothered to be a friend to me. It was an obligation because her father hates me." Her voice shook just slightly.

Genra just knelt there, watching her closely, waiting for her to calm down. Finally he spoke, his voice soft. "Her father doesn't hate you, Ayane-chan. He hates your father. There is no reason for you to take the blame of what happened at your birth."

"But I was the illegitimate child," she spat out, her entire body rigid. It wouldn't surprise her in the least if he already had an idea about the circumstances of her birth, even though she had never spoken with him about the issue. He was, after all, one of the leaders of the _Mugen-Tenshin _clan and supervised the _Hajin-Mon _fighting style. He would have heard about the events surrounding her birth from the other clan members. "Just because of that, Kasumi will always be better than me. Shiden hates me because of my existence. I was just a mistake. Nothing can change that."

Silence.

"If you really knew the truth, you would hate me and disown me, just like Shiden wanted to do so many times. I'm nothing but a waste of time and effort. Just like everyone else says."

"Ayane, I would never -"

"Don't lie to me! It was like all the Elders had to be informed that I was nothing but a disgraceful child. They probably told you I have bad blood, just like… just like _him_." Her voice broke and she refused to look at him. Refused to let him see the tears in her eyes.

He hadn't made a single move towards her, but his words were clear and she could hear a distinct honesty in them.

"I have never lied to you."

She didn't respond.

"Ayane…"

"Why did you take me up, Genra-sama? Why did you bother to train me? I'll never be as good as them. You must have known who my father was. Why did you waste your time?"

Finally she heard him approach her, coming closer to where she stood, but still not making contact. "You learned how to fight. You aren't any lesser than your peers, Ayane. You learned the value of _Hajin-Mon._"He paused for a moment, apparently giving her time to absorb those words "And you know why I took you up."

She hastily wiped her eyes before half-turning to face him, so that he could only see one side of her face. "Why?"

"Because I felt you had potential."

"You pitied me too, didn't you." There was a hint of raw pain that could barely be heard in her voice.

"No. I never did this out of pity for you, but compassion." He placed a hand on her shoulder, just as she flinched. He chose to ignore it. "You are a smart girl, Ayane. I saw that in you. You've shown more courage than the rest of them. You should be proud of that."

She shook her head, staring back at the window. She was ashamed at how emotional she'd gotten, that she had so easily allowed him to try and understand her. Her status had become a kunoichi-in-training, and she could not be seen having such weakness. Especially in front of Genra, she told herself. But somehow it seemed as though she could not keep from spilling her fears. He was the one person she had really been able to talk to without fear of being discriminated.

"All I ever wanted was someone to care. Someone that noticed me for once, and not Kasumi. Just recognition for being a person."

He drew her closer, even as she half-resisted, wrapping his arms around her. For the first time in months, even years, she felt that someone truly did care for her. Finally her struggle lessened; her tears dampened his shirt as he held her, even as she tried to hold them back.

"I consider you as my daughter, Ayane," he said, moving his hand through her short hair in an effort to calm her. "You are my family. That's what matters."

They sat there in silence, and eventually she was able to collect herself. She drew back, a slight flush on her cheeks. It was, she realized, the first time he'd held her like that – like a parent who holds a child they care for.

She belonged.

-

_To be continued…_

-

_Note: Except for the "I hereby request that Ayane immediately be moved to the Hajin-Mon village to help the Hajin-Mon clan from the shadows and that she assist me in my duties" quote from the game scenario, Genra's entire personality and characteristics were completely made up. I don't know how accurately his character will be portrayed, as Code Cronus probably won't be released until late 2009/2010. Therefore, any scenes that feature him are merely a product of my overworked information. _

_(P.S. In the __Dead or Alive Ultimate__ introduction, viewers never even saw his face. It was covered by a mask. :grins:)_


End file.
